Elmo Jackie Hurst

Elmo was born April 30, 1930, at Dott, West Virginia, a small coal mining community in Mercer County, to Lawrence G. and Virginia Bailey Hurst. He graduated from Matoaka High School in 1948. Elmo was an Eagle Scout in High School.

Elmo married his high school sweetheart, Betty Joan Kasey June 1948 right after graduation from high school he attended Bluefield College in Bluefield, Virginia, where he studied Pre-Engineering and was a member of the basketball team. He transferred to West Virginia University after 2 years. Elmo worked for the University Mining Extension Department, while attending the University. He also worked during the summers as a coal miner at the Keystone Mine in McDowell County. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining Engineering from WVU in 1953.

After graduation, he was commissioned as Ensign in the Navy during the Korean War. After completion of officers training in Newport, RI, Lieutenant Hurst spent three years with the United States Harbor Defense Unit Cristobal, Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone defending the Atlantic approach to the Panama Canal, Elmo completed his tour of duty as a Lieutenant and Commanding Officer of the unit.

Returning to his native West Virginia in 1956, Elmo accepted the position of Assistant Chief Engineer with Winding Gulf Coal, Inc. at Tams, WV, and he and Betty moved to Beckley.

While working for Winding Gulf Coal, Elmo met J. 0. (Bones) Lively and became Vice President and General Manager of J.O. Lively Construction Company and Lively Manufacturing and Equipment Company and in 1960. When these companies were sold to Elgin National Industries, Inc. in 1969, Elmo became President of both companies. In 1972 Elmo became Executive Vice President of Chicago based Elgin National Industries, and maintained an office in the Beckley area where he was responsible for Elgin's operating companies in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and New York. In 1987 he became President of Elgin National Industries. At the age of 58 Elmo retired from Elgin National Industries.

After six months of retirement, Elmo decided that fishing, skiing, tennis, golf, and fly tying (all of which he enjoyed) were more fun when you had to make time for them. Besides that, his like-minded friends were still working and could not play all the time. Therefore, Elmo came out of retirement and purchased controlling interest in the Miller Bearing Company Inc., near South Bend, Indiana. Three years later, he also purchased controlling interest in Almega-Tru Flex Inc. in the same area. In 1997 he purchased Mountain State Home Health Care, Inc in Beckley, WV with 4 other business partners and became CEO and Chairman with controlling interest. In 2001 Elmo and his business partners founded AmeriCare Management Services, Inc in Beckley West Virginia and in 2005 the same partners purchased Your Choice Home Care, LLC. Elmo maintained controlling interest all companies.

In 1992 Elmo and Betty decided to purchase a second home in Bonita Springs, FL. Elmo continued to travel to WV for board meeting and an occasional fishing trip to his beloved fishing camp at Second Creek in Monroe County, WV. While in Florida he and several businessmen formed Old Florida Bank. He was on the Board of Directors of Old Florida Bank until it sold to The Bank of Florida. He spent the remainder of his life in Bonita Springs, FL enjoying the beautiful sunshine, spending time and traveling with beloved wife and playing tennis regularly with friends.

In his professional career Elmo became a Registered Professional Engineer in three states and held membership National, State, and Local Engineering and Mining Societies. He was a founder of the Association of Bituminous Contractors and was President of the Association for almost 30 years. In this capacity he was the Chief Industry Negotiator with the UMWA for the Coal Mine Construction Workers Contract and negotiated contracts with every President of the UMWA except John L. Lewis. Elmo served as the industry appointed Trustee of the UMWA Construction Workers Pension Plan and its Health Benefits Plan.

A Loyal Mountaineer, Elmo has served on the Board of Directors of the West Virginia University Foundation for 20 years and served a two-year term as its Chairman. He also served as Co-Chairman of the Campaign for WVU. Elmo and the companies he ran were major contributors to the construction of the Facilities Building at Mountaineer Field, and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Spindler and Holland Professorships at the College of Mineral and Energy Resources. Elmo is a former Advisory Committee member of COMER, and he and Betty established a Charitable Remainder Trust to benefit mining engineering students. In gratitude for their support, the University named and dedicated the Atrium at the new COMER building on the Evansdale campus in honor of Elmo and Betty. In 1994 Elmo was inducted into the University's Order of Vandalia, the highest honor the University bestows upon its graduates. He was inducted into the Woodward Circle, The Irving Stewart Society, and WUV selected him as WVU Mountaineer in 1980. In 2004 Elmo was inducted into the West Virginia University Business Hall of Fame.

In addition to serving on the West Virginia Housing Development Authority Board under both Governors Moore and Rockefeller, Elmo also served on Governor Moore's Advisory Council for Technical Services. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Beckley National Bank, Bank One West Virginia and its local affiliate, Bank One Beckley.

Always active in the community; he has served as Fund Raising Chairman for the United Way; as a past President of the Board of Deacons of the Beckley Presbyterian Church. He was one of the original nine founders of the Beckley Area Foundation for which he was a Director and Board Member. He was Co-Chairman of the committee to raise funds for the Word-Connor Administrative Fund, in honor of his dear friends. He was Host for many Boy Scouts Annual Dinners. Responding to the communities need for a new YMCA in 1976, Elmo and made significant contributions toward its construction.

Elmo felt that one of his greatest contributions to the community was securing the funds to construct the Women's Resource Center, a Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence. Elmo served as Chairman of The Women's Resource Center during its construction. Later Elmo and Betty established the Women's Resource Center Fund with the Beckley Area Foundation to help provide funding for its operation.

Elmo's emphasis was on educational projects and investments in projects that aid our community's children. He believed that offering wholesome recreational and educational opportunities through the YMCA, the Churches, the Boy Scouts, and providing protection and counseling to the battered and abused children through the Women's Resource Center are investments in the long-range future of the Beckley area. Elmo’s hope was that these projects will ensure the true Spirit of Beckley for future generations.

Elmo also received the Governor’s Distinguished West Virginia Award under Governor Caperton in 1996 and again in 2004 under Governor Wise. He received the Spirit of Beckley Award in 1996.

Elmo is preceded in death by his mother Pansy Virginia Hurst and Father Lawrence Hurst, Princeton WV, sister Janet Tudor, Pascagoula MS, and brother Dr Ronald Hurst, Spartanburg SC,

Elmo is survived by his wife of almost 75 years, Betty Kasey Hurst, two children Valarie Hurst Phillips (Don), Oak Hill, WV and Cape Coral FL, and David L Hurst (Elizabeth) Evanston IL, Five Grandchildren, Wriston Phillips (Colleen) Brick NJ, Jonathan Phillips (Jacquie) Daniels, WV, Elmo Phillips (Tiffany) Beckley WV, Mary Beth Hurst Reed (Christopher) Franklin TN, and Leisa Hurst (Aaron Mangan) Brisbane, Australia. Ten great grandchildren Jonathan (Max) Phillips, Elmo (Cooper) Phillips, Barkley Phillips, Aniston Phillips, Emmett Reed, Brielle Phillips, Amelia Reed, Beatrice Phillips, Lilah Phillips, and Tyce Phillips.

The family would like to thank McKinney Home Care for all the passionate care given to Elmo by their caregivers for many years, the Skilled Nursing Facility at the Renaissance at the Terraces for their compassionate care given to Elmo the past 2 years, and Hope Hospice for their passionate care and family support.

A Memorial Service celebrating Elmo’s life will be at the Terraces, Bonita Springs Fl on Monday April 10, 2023 at 3:30PM, visitation will follow the service. Donations in Memory of Elmo’s life can be made to the Beckley Area Foundation: Elmo J Hurst Memorial Scholarship Fund at bafwv.org, or Beckley Area Foundation 1210 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV 25801.